‘Still living the nightmare’: Landmark study finds 55% of Nova survivors have severe PTSD

Two years on from the horrendous attack of Oct. 7, 2023, the extent of Israel’s mental health crisis is beginning to emerge. 

Safeheart, a non-profit organization established specifically for those who survived the Nova Music Festival, has reported a recent 150% increase in the number of requests for help. They are currently treating approximately a quarter of all the survivors, according to YNet.

Now, the mental health organization has revealed the results of a new study they have conducted, led by trauma expert Professor Roee Admon together with Prof. Roy Salomon, a psychedelics researcher, both from the University of Haifa. 

Safeheart has described the project as “a large-scale interdisciplinary study using behavioral, cognitive, emotional, physiological, and neural measurements to understand the mechanisms of trauma experienced under psychoactive substances and determine effective therapies for the affected community.”

The data was collected in detailed questionnaires, saliva samples, smartwatches tracking sleep, EEGs, fMRI scans, and in-depth interviews. YNet reports that hundreds of survivors took part in the research, making it the most comprehensive study of the disaster to date.

In his exploration of the long-term physical and psychological consequences of traumatic stress published in World Psychiatry, Alexander C McFarlane wrote that Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was first observed following the two world wars last century. The phenomenon describes trauma responses appearing some time after the event, perhaps months or even years afterwards.

In his paper, McFarlane explains that, “One of the greatest challenges to the field of traumatic stress has been the observation that many individuals who coped at the time of their traumatic exposure became unwell at a later date.” 

In other words, buried pain often resurfaces when the immediate threat subsides. 

The whole of Israel seems to be able to breathe again now that most of the hostages are home, and the grieving process, which has been kept on ice since Oct. 7, has now begun in earnest.

“I kept saying for two years, ‘We’re still at war, there are hostages in Gaza. Only the day after will real healing begin,’” said Nova survivor, Maayan Dee. “Maybe that was my shield, and others’ too. In survival mode there’s no time to think. Now, in the day after, when there’s no war to hide behind, everything rises to the surface. You meet the demons you buried deep. The day you waited for becomes the day you fear."

She continued, “Now we’re understanding what we were told at the very beginning: we won’t go back to who we were. It takes time for that to hit. You feel different, a bit of an odd bird. There’s a big loneliness. We feel stuck on that day, especially around the date. We don’t expect the world to stop for us, but many survivors feel we were left behind.”

The majority of the Israeli population has been in the process of slow recovery, with the number still experiencing severe post-traumatic stress symptoms now down to 16% — still a very high figure. However, for Nova survivors the number is three times higher, at 55%. 

Omri Sasi, a producer who survived and who now runs the Nova Tribe nonprofit organization, believes the levels to be even higher. “They say 55%, I say 80%... Anyone who was there will never be the same,” he said.

According to Prof Admon, “Thousands of young people can’t break free from the trauma. They have nightmares, trouble concentrating, substance use, severe sleep problems.” 

Instead of the ceasefire bringing relief, experts have warned that the risks are now higher than before. An estimated one in nine are in worsened situations, battling suicidal thoughts, psychotic breaks, or addictions requiring specialized treatment beyond the scope of many groups established to provide their care, according to Ynet.

With all the memorial events and media coverage constantly triggering those with PTSD, many survivors are struggling to hold on. The tragic suicides of Roy Shalev and Yelena Giller, mother of murdered festivalgoer Slava Giller testify to the pain and suffering so many are wrestling with.

Safeheart wrote to the Knesset’s Young Adults Committee, which held a hearing on Nova survivors this week, saying, “This is an unprecedented national event. Thousands of young people endured extreme trauma unlike anything (ever) seen . With the war’s end, we have entered the hardest and most dangerous stage for them.”

Approximately half of the 3,559 survivors have felt unable to return to work, while many are turning to addictions to numb the pain. Reut Plonsker, clinical director at SafeHeart, said that many are isolating and barely go out even after two years. 

Shye Klein, a Nova survivor shared her experiences: “After Nova I was trapped in trauma and grief. I used MDMA almost every weekend to escape.” She added, “I was suicidal and angry. Eventually, through photography, I stopped. Many haven’t. Healing isn’t something you do alone.”

Prof. Admon admits there are difficulties trying to assess the situation given that the entire country went through the trauma of Oct. 7. “Even our control group, Israelis who lived here during these two years, show high PTSD rates. It raises the question of whether Israeli trauma can even be compared internationally.”